Île-à-Vache
Île-à-Vache, (Spanish: Isla Vaca, English: Cow Island) is an island commune in the Les Cayes Arrondissement, Sud, Haiti ]] About A Caribbean island, Île-à-Vache is one of Haiti's satellite islands. It lies in the Baie de Cayes about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) off the coast of the country's southwest peninsula, roughly between the town of Les Cayes and Pointe l'Abacou. It was formerly known by the name of Abacca. Administratively, it became a commune in 1976 as part of the Les Cayes Arrondissement in the Sud department. History ]] The known history of the island began with the Spanish conquest. Île-à-Vache was claimed by the Spanish Empire in 1492 as part of Hispaniola, and for the next two centuries it was known by the name Isla Vaca. Two hundred years later, in 1697, the island of Hispaniola was formally divided between Spain and France in the Treaty of Ryswick which ended the Nine Years War. France assumed control of the western half of Hispaniola and named it Saint-Domingue, and Isla Vaca took on its current name, Île-à-Vache. Emancipation US President Lincoln and Haitian president Geffrard with investor Bernard Koch who attempted in 1862 to relocate some 5,000 emancipated blacks from the US on the island in an ill-fated project to grow and export fine Haitian cotton to US markets. Geography ]] Lying off the south-western end of Haiti, Ile a Vache is the tiniest island of the mainland. Administered under the Sud Department, it takes up 20 square miles of land acreage, a very green island with plenty of swamp areas, containing 10,000-15,000 occupants. Île à Vache is said to be the most scenic place in the entire Caribbean region. Two resorts on the island attract the tourist trade: Abaka Bay and Port Morgan. Tourism For adventurous minds, Ile-à-Vâche may mean the ultimate discovery of a pristine island surrounded by emerald-like waters disrupted by gentle bubbling waves that go on to crash against bands of fine white sand that circle the island. On the velvet green grass that covers most of the island, indolent cows munching on the grass, hyper active goats and other farm animals seek shelter against the sun, under tall coconut or mango trees that move their branches as if shuddering under the caress of the breeze Ile-a-Vâche, a tiny 20 square mile piece of paradise in the Southwest of Haiti has been captivating the imagination of curious or daring travelers for years. Considered one of the most romantic get-aways in the Caribbean, Ile a Vache Abaka Bay represents a Garden of Eden for sensualists, who marvel at its sugar-white beaches and verdant mountains, and valleys brimming with tropical vegetation. Livestock roam freely, grazing on vast grasslands. Folklore The natives of Ile a Vache are welcoming, willing to share the folklore of their region with curious visitors. According to the townspeople, at one time a madly-in-love couple, visiting the island, became enchanted with it, re-settling there. They built schools, started healthcare clinics, and provided a school-lunch program for the island's children. But over time, the couple fought bitterly and moved to opposite ends of the island, where they continued their humanitarian works separately. The townspeople since that time have referred to these parts of the island by their benefactors' names: Cox-town and Bernard-place. ]] Category:Les Cayes Arrondissement Category:Sud, Haiti